Scotopic Sensitivity
Individuals with Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome may:
o Lose their place on the page easily
o Skip words, lines, or reread words or lines
o Squint, open their eyes wide, rub their eyes, or have red and watery eyes
o Be able to see only a small portion of page in focus - the rest may be blurry
o Move around or move the book in order to get it in focus
o Display a short attention span because of eye strain or fatigue while reading
o Experience nausea because of movement seen on the page
o Get a headache after reading for awhile
o Shade the page or move it to avoid glare
o Be fidgety or restless while reading
o Prefer to read in a dim light
o Make errors when copying from the board
o Misalign numbers in math problems
Link to the Irlen Website:
www.Irlen.com
o Have slow and choppy
reading
o Be unable
to stay on task
o Be an underachiever
o Reading is boring
o Poor reader
o Avoids reading
o Rereads for comprehension
o Lack of sustained attention
o Shows strain and fatigue
Specific Reading
Difficulties
o Skips words or lines
o Repeats or rereads lines
o Frequently loses place letters and words
o Reading is slow or hesitant
o Reads in a "stop and go" rhythm from book or chalkboard
o Omits small words
o Reading deteriorates
Complaints While
Reading
o Headaches or nausea
o Burning or itching eyes columns
o Sandy, scratchy, dry eyes
o Falls asleep in correct column
o Eyes hurt or aches
o Print not clear and sharp
o Background bright and uncomfortable
Observations While
Reading
o Rubs eyes Depth Perception
o Moves closer to or farther from page
o Excessive blinking off of escalators
o Squinting
o Opens eyes wide
o Shades the page corners or door jambs
o Must incorporate breaks into reading
o Closes or covers one eye distances
o Moves head
o Reads very close to the page over
o Reads word-by-word
o Uses finger or other marker
o Unable to skim or speed read
Complaints When
Using Computers
o Strain and fatigue
o Headaches
o Print distortions
o Screen breathes or pulsates
o Glare
Writing
o Writes uphill or downhill
o Unequal spacing between letters and words
o Makes errors copying from book or chalkboard
o Squints or blinks when copying from chalkboard
Mathematics
o Misaligns digits in number
o Difficulty seeing numbers
o Sloppy, careless errors
Music
o Plays mostly by ear and has difficulty reading musical notes
Depth Perception
o Moves closer
to or farther from page
o Difficulty getting on and off of escalators
o Walks or bumps into table or door jambs
o Difficulty judging distances
o Drops or knocks things over
o Difficulty
hitting or catching a ball
o Clumsy